Are Hourly, Guest, and Trainee Teachers Eligible for PF Benefits in Schools?

Dear friends, are teachers recruited on an hourly basis eligible for PF? Can regular guest lecturers receive any PF benefits? Can a school recruit trainee teachers by paying only a stipend, not a salary? Are all the above three categories of teachers exempt from PF deduction?

Thank you.

It seems that your school is run only with trainees and not with qualified teachers. How can parents send their children to your institution? Anyway, that is not my headache but will be taken care of by the Department of Education, which should have given some instructions regarding the staff pattern, the ratio of full-time teachers to the number of students, etc., and violation of these will lead to cancellation of affiliation/registration. In colleges and centers of advanced studies, there may be permitted guest faculty, but you should not take it for granted that you can have only guests and no permanent faculty! The question of such visiting teachers in core subjects, at least, does not arise in the case of a school, which is considered to be the foundation for education. Also, you should not entertain such kinds of arrangements because in school we expect a continuous relationship between students, teachers, and parents, which cannot be met if you have hourly rated ‘workers’ kind of teachers. Teaching is a noble profession, and you should not bring down its dignity by paying the teachers based on hours engaged.

Labour Law Enforcement and Provident Fund

Now, coming to labour law enforcement, as far as PF is concerned, if your organization has at least 20 employees, whether part-time or full-time, your organization comes under the purview of the Provident Fund, and you should cover all employees, including the so-called visiting teachers or part-time teachers, provided their salary does not exceed Rs 15,000 per month. Of course, if you pay more than this, you can exclude them from PF. Otherwise, there is no way to exclude them from PF coverage. Whatever is paid as salary will attract PF.

Trainee Teachers and Stipend

Coming to the nomenclature of “Trainee Teachers” and paying “Stipend,” I would say that this is only a designation, and the said trainee teacher is not expected to sit in the classroom, perhaps separately from the students, just watching what the main teacher teaches, his body language, the manner in which he behaves with students, etc., but on the other hand, will teach the students, take assignments, and do what all are to be done by other main teachers. Moreover, a school is not an industry where you can have an apprentice teacher who can be paid a stipend. And if you pay a stipend, it will have the same meaning as a salary only.

Therefore, logically, there is no meaning in designating the teachers as Trainee Teachers, which is given only to students undergoing B.Ed practical training, engaging part-time teachers, or paying them a stipend.

Regards,
Madhu.T.K

Agreed with Mr. Madhu T.K. You have to ensure compliance with affiliation rules that are clear, e.g., CBSE affiliation rules. The PF and wages, as per applicable law/rules, have to be paid.

Are you running an affiliated institution? Apart from PF and other benefits, you must comply with affiliation bylaws and the RTE Act in the case of a school.